It is hard to know whether you should let the bush run wild, do a little landscaping, or go bare. It doesn’t matter which gender you are, we all have different opinions on how much to shave or whether we should shave at all.

Many people have speculated at how this trend started. Some say it is because of the invention of the bikini, or that many people shave other parts of their body so it was only time before they went for the crotch, while others site the influence of pornography in magazines and film. According to Beaver Shaver, removing pubic hair dates back to early Egyptians when the wife of Fareo’s hair removal practices became in vogue, and upper-class Egyptian women removed all of their body hair with the exception of the hair on their head. The website site goes on to state that they used a primitive method of what we now consider as waxing with oils and honey.

If you are considering waxing or using some of the over the counter products (OCP), I would research them first. I would like to share a brief personal story with you on why I caution you on OCP. A few years ago, I decided I would try self-administered waxing and went down to my local beauty supply store. I asked the employee which brand she would recommend. She went on and on about how easy this particular product was and stated that you just needed to heat it up for a few seconds, apply it to the skin, and then rip it off. It was relatively inexpensive, and I had some time, so I thought I would give it a try.

I brought it and applied a large amount to both sides of my bikini area and mons pubis region. When I tried to get it off, it did not just come off in sections like the sales girl stated, it was a nightmare! It was a plastic, stringy consistency that was like taffy but had the sticking ability of Krazy glue. I eventually had to try to remove as much as I could and cut the remaining pieces off my very red and irritated genitals with scissors. My vulva was not a happy camper and I decided that I would stick to the razors.

With that said, many of my friends will go to salons and have a Brazilian wax or Bikini wax. For those who are unfamiliar with what a Brazilian entails, it is the removal of all hair from front to back, with the exception of a small landing strip of hair. I have four friends that have had partial or full laser treatment for their genitals. Some just had the hair around the vulva or area above and around the penis lasered, while others had the hair around the perineum (taint) and anus removed. It is a personal choice and people have hair removed for various reasons.

Some people have a horrendous time with ingrown hairs, some hate body hair, some think it is cleaner, and others prefer it for oral sex. I want to take a minute and address the “cleaner” reason. The vulva does not smell like flowers and the male parts don’t either. The pubic hair is there to prevent dirt and bacteria from entering the vagina. It also works for both sexes as a cushion between bodies and traps pheromones to attract a mate. With that said, you are allowed do whatever you want with your area. It grows back, so feel free to experiment.

Styling and Profiling
We are all individuals and the way we choose to “style” our pubes is a personal preference. When asked, the majority of my friends over 45 think it is weird and absurd that anyone would want to shave or trim their pubic hair verses the teen to late 30’s crowd who can’t fathom the idea of not trimming or shaving their pubic hair. Many people chose a variety of “pubescaping.” The list includes the heart, triangle, rectangle, pine cut, landing strip, v-cut, lightning bolt, and many others.

There are also people who choose to color their pubic hair or Vajazzle their pubic area. For those that haven’t heard of this, it is like the infomercials of the past where they bedazzled jean jackets in a specific design, but this design uses Swarovski crystals to embellish an area in your pubic region. Whatever you chose to do with your “crotchal region,” please do it because you want to and not because you think you have to meet the expectations of society or your partner.
Quick Shaving Tips

• Make sure you dispose of the razor blade after 2-4 uses.
• Take your time and use a mild shaving cream or gel – Whole Foods makes a nice cream that doesn’t hurt the ozone.
• If going against the grain causes more ingrown hairs, then go with the hair.
• Shaving everyday may irritate the genital skin (if this occurs try to space out the shaving to every couple of day to 1x per week).
• You may want to use small scissors if you just want to trim it.
• If you like it totally bare then use a shaving tool like the ones found on the Beaver Shaver website to help you maintain the look. (FYI: It takes a lot of time. I don’t know about you but I’m lucky if I find time to shave my legs and underarms.)

Please feel free to share any of your shaving stories or any additional tips you have on going natural or somewhere in-between on our comments section.